...and am now getting ready to do a wee bit of stitching.
Not too much though....
(Oh Yeh!! I hear some folks saying!! :-)
x C
Friday 28 June 2013
Portal progress....
I've finished all the fabric painting....
...and am now getting ready to do a wee bit of stitching.
Not too much though....
(Oh Yeh!! I hear some folks saying!! :-)
x C
...and am now getting ready to do a wee bit of stitching.
Not too much though....
(Oh Yeh!! I hear some folks saying!! :-)
x C
Monday 24 June 2013
Tretower portal......W.I.P...
You may remember a few weeks back I posted some photos of Tretower Court...
...a place near here that is absolutely beautiful.
I'm doing some demos and mini-workshops there on 24th July....
...and have started some stitched pieces to put on show.
Here's where I'm at this morning...
The machine stitching was finished yesterday....
...and the painting begun a couple of hours ago....
...using Brusho Paints (with a bit of added thickener)
Original piccy of that glorious door!!
O! how I love doing these..... :-)))
x C
...a place near here that is absolutely beautiful.
I'm doing some demos and mini-workshops there on 24th July....
...and have started some stitched pieces to put on show.
Here's where I'm at this morning...
The machine stitching was finished yesterday....
...and the painting begun a couple of hours ago....
...using Brusho Paints (with a bit of added thickener)
Original piccy of that glorious door!!
O! how I love doing these..... :-)))
x C
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Printing and Paper-play...
I take full advantage when the sky is not dropping moisture....
.....and get myself outside to make some experimental print blocks...
...for a special purpose.
I find sheets of this thermoplastic foam at a recycle centre and, after marking out the designs that I want (with a Sharpie marker)...
...I use a small soldering iron to "carve" the surface of the block.
(The Man tells me to be VERY VERY careful as the gases given off can be really bad. So I'm always watchful of wind direction and wear a suitable facemask too.)
I printed onto double sheets of my "Landscape Tissue", then went over the designs with an "18kt Gold" marker pen.
The stuff underneath is what I refer to as my "Leather Paper"...
....dyed in the washing machine on Sunday and Monday.
The purpose, I'm afraid, must remain a secret at this point...
...but there again...
...a little mystery adds some interest doesn't it?!
(Needless to say though....there WILL be stitch!!)
x C
.....and get myself outside to make some experimental print blocks...
...for a special purpose.
I find sheets of this thermoplastic foam at a recycle centre and, after marking out the designs that I want (with a Sharpie marker)...
...I use a small soldering iron to "carve" the surface of the block.
(The Man tells me to be VERY VERY careful as the gases given off can be really bad. So I'm always watchful of wind direction and wear a suitable facemask too.)
I printed onto double sheets of my "Landscape Tissue", then went over the designs with an "18kt Gold" marker pen.
The stuff underneath is what I refer to as my "Leather Paper"...
....dyed in the washing machine on Sunday and Monday.
The purpose, I'm afraid, must remain a secret at this point...
...but there again...
...a little mystery adds some interest doesn't it?!
(Needless to say though....there WILL be stitch!!)
x C
Monday 17 June 2013
....beading....beading....beading....
Here's what's on my desk...
...a special mixture of beads....
...designed to do a special job...
...and just a VERY small peak at one of my new pieces that I've been working on over the last few days....
I certainly have sore fingers at the minute though :-(
x C
...a special mixture of beads....
...designed to do a special job...
...and just a VERY small peak at one of my new pieces that I've been working on over the last few days....
I certainly have sore fingers at the minute though :-(
x C
Friday 14 June 2013
Hussif tutorial now available!!
I've put the tutorial for my little printed Hussif in the "Freebie" section on my website.
Have fun!!.....
...and let me know how yours turns out :-)
x C
(I've also made it available as a Workshop :-))
Have fun!!.....
...and let me know how yours turns out :-)
x C
(I've also made it available as a Workshop :-))
Tuesday 11 June 2013
New "Lavender & Lace" pieces
I've been working on some more, small pieces to add to my "Lavender & Lace" workshop repertoire.
The plan is to have not only flat panels...
...but other items like fabric art books...
...and more utilitarian pieces like tea-cosies.
But for now....
...here are the results of a few "play-days"...
...more will follow in due course... :-)
x C
The plan is to have not only flat panels...
...but other items like fabric art books...
...and more utilitarian pieces like tea-cosies.
But for now....
...here are the results of a few "play-days"...
...more will follow in due course... :-)
x C
Thursday 6 June 2013
Hussif....ta da!!
It's finished!
...and I'm delighted with it! :-)
After finishing the cover I made the inside "pages" with craft Vilene. ( S80/240)
I coloured these using Transfer Dyes ....
...ironed on after painting onto printer paper.
Cutting a long story short a bit here...
...I've now got a hussif that looks like this...
The first "page" has a printed pocket to hold my thread cutter.
Middle page spread has two felt panels for pins and needles.
The back page holds a little notebook made specially for purpose...
...because I always think of good ideas when I'm stitching and they just HAVE to be written down!! :-)
The pockets formed by stitching the two pieces of Vilene together keep your threads/scissors/pencil safe.
It is all held nice and cosy with a rat-tail bow.
I skipped all the making-stages here because I'm going to write this up as a "Freebie" project and put it on the website - hopefully by the end of next week.
(Maybe someone else out there would like to make one?)
Skies are clearing....
...stitching beckons....
x C
...and I'm delighted with it! :-)
After finishing the cover I made the inside "pages" with craft Vilene. ( S80/240)
I coloured these using Transfer Dyes ....
...ironed on after painting onto printer paper.
Cutting a long story short a bit here...
...I've now got a hussif that looks like this...
The first "page" has a printed pocket to hold my thread cutter.
Middle page spread has two felt panels for pins and needles.
The back page holds a little notebook made specially for purpose...
...because I always think of good ideas when I'm stitching and they just HAVE to be written down!! :-)
The pockets formed by stitching the two pieces of Vilene together keep your threads/scissors/pencil safe.
It is all held nice and cosy with a rat-tail bow.
I skipped all the making-stages here because I'm going to write this up as a "Freebie" project and put it on the website - hopefully by the end of next week.
(Maybe someone else out there would like to make one?)
Skies are clearing....
...stitching beckons....
x C
Tuesday 4 June 2013
..a little "hussif" on the way...
Seeing as I am going to be away from home a lot more in the future...
...I've decided to make myself a little "Hussif" to keep all my stitching bits and bobs together and safe.
So...
...the first step was to print a cover.
I pulled out a few pieces of dyed Egyptian Cotton, and used a beautiful block from Colouricious with fabric paints from Colourcraft.
Some of the edges came out a bit on the blobby side....but I thought "A bit of machine magic will soon take care of that!"
This was the one I chose to stitch first...
...using these lovely rayons given to me by Andrew of Wonderfil. :-))
Machine threaded and ready to go...
..I used a tiny straight stitch to go around all of the printed design.
...and then, after putting on the backing, spent this morning hand-stitching beads all around the edges...
That's the cover completed, but there's no more stitching today...
..I'm off for falalas in Brecon...
Insides will be tackled on the morrow.
x C
...I've decided to make myself a little "Hussif" to keep all my stitching bits and bobs together and safe.
So...
...the first step was to print a cover.
I pulled out a few pieces of dyed Egyptian Cotton, and used a beautiful block from Colouricious with fabric paints from Colourcraft.
Some of the edges came out a bit on the blobby side....but I thought "A bit of machine magic will soon take care of that!"
This was the one I chose to stitch first...
...using these lovely rayons given to me by Andrew of Wonderfil. :-))
Machine threaded and ready to go...
..I used a tiny straight stitch to go around all of the printed design.
...and then, after putting on the backing, spent this morning hand-stitching beads all around the edges...
That's the cover completed, but there's no more stitching today...
..I'm off for falalas in Brecon...
Insides will be tackled on the morrow.
x C
Monday 3 June 2013
Feeling like summer....at last!!
Well....
...we're back from our little break in Cornwall...
...having thoroughly enjoyed a couple of gorgeous days, flitting around some of the "Artists' Open Studios".
It's a bit of a long haul from here to there, so we always stop for a tea/coffee break at our little packhorse bridge on Bodmin Moor.
It's such a beautiful place....quiet....peaceful.....
On Thursday we made our way down to Trewidden Gardens to have a look around the artists' studios that are ranged around a courtyard.
I particularly wanted to see the prints and ceramics of Peter Wray...
...and...
...yes...
...I did indulge...
...just a little :-)
(Look at that turquoise raku crazing inside!!)
Afterwards, we were going to head towards Lamorna, but somehow got sidetracked and ended up at the Minack Theatre.
What a glorious place to end up....especially on a day with such blue skies and warmth!
After a couple of hours mooching around here...
...we eventually got to Lamorna a bit too late to find any artists' open doors, but enjoyed the late evening with a cup of tea in the car.
Friday we stuck close to "home" and visited a few studios around Redruth...
...the lovely Cat Rowe being number 1 on the list.
(Her blog is now in the list over there -> on the right too)
We met last year and have kept in touch...
She is such a talented lady.
(We'll be meeting up again at the NEC when she'll be bringing my little commissioned piece with her :-)))
Finally, before heading back home on Saturday, we got lost around Camborne but eventually found Sue Dove's garden studio...
...where her gorgeous work and many sketchbooks were on display.
Did I indulge there too?
You bet I did!!
... this little stitched collage will be keeping me company on my workroom notice-board!
OK....
...so it was (maybe) a bit of an expensive couple of days....
...but oh-so-enjoyable.
Now though...
..the sun is beckoning...
..and I'm off to sit out on the patio with some hand-stitching...
...and a cup of freshly-brewed coffee!!
Enjoy your day...
x C
...we're back from our little break in Cornwall...
...having thoroughly enjoyed a couple of gorgeous days, flitting around some of the "Artists' Open Studios".
It's a bit of a long haul from here to there, so we always stop for a tea/coffee break at our little packhorse bridge on Bodmin Moor.
It's such a beautiful place....quiet....peaceful.....
On Thursday we made our way down to Trewidden Gardens to have a look around the artists' studios that are ranged around a courtyard.
I particularly wanted to see the prints and ceramics of Peter Wray...
...and...
...yes...
...I did indulge...
...just a little :-)
(Look at that turquoise raku crazing inside!!)
Afterwards, we were going to head towards Lamorna, but somehow got sidetracked and ended up at the Minack Theatre.
What a glorious place to end up....especially on a day with such blue skies and warmth!
After a couple of hours mooching around here...
...we eventually got to Lamorna a bit too late to find any artists' open doors, but enjoyed the late evening with a cup of tea in the car.
Friday we stuck close to "home" and visited a few studios around Redruth...
...the lovely Cat Rowe being number 1 on the list.
(Her blog is now in the list over there -> on the right too)
We met last year and have kept in touch...
She is such a talented lady.
(We'll be meeting up again at the NEC when she'll be bringing my little commissioned piece with her :-)))
Finally, before heading back home on Saturday, we got lost around Camborne but eventually found Sue Dove's garden studio...
...where her gorgeous work and many sketchbooks were on display.
Did I indulge there too?
You bet I did!!
... this little stitched collage will be keeping me company on my workroom notice-board!
OK....
...so it was (maybe) a bit of an expensive couple of days....
...but oh-so-enjoyable.
Now though...
..the sun is beckoning...
..and I'm off to sit out on the patio with some hand-stitching...
...and a cup of freshly-brewed coffee!!
Enjoy your day...
x C
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